This thesis presents a reassessment of historical change in Nigeria and its relationship with economic performance. Situated within the context of recent debates on the country's agricultural 'crisis', it finds the contributions structured within the political economy tradition to be analytically deficient and factually inaccurate. Using Marx's method of historical analysis, a more coherent and e£fective study of social change is presented which refutes the stagnationist slant evident in Radical Political Economy perspectives. Transformations in the structure of property relations and the level of productive forces are highlighted in various contexts, as well as the contradictions they embody. A case study, based on extensive fieldwork is used to assess the implications of the depicted changes for rural reproduction. A process of social differentiation is revealed which confers cumulative advantages to a segment of the peasantry. The sources of this differentiation and the relationship it expresses and generates, linked to wider histc>rical processes, together portendithe emergence of capitali~m. The dynamic consequences of capitalist transformation in Nigerian agriculture- the potential provided for accumulation and productivity increases, are however found to be retarded by powerful forces exogenous to the agrarian structure. An assessment of the macroeconomic contours of capitalist development in Nigerian agriculture identifies the constraining features to agricultural growth to consist mainly of internal factors aqd policies, rather than structural constraints deriving from international trade relations. A brief examination of contemporary debates on economic policy reforms is found to provide an insufficient basis for unguarded optimism regarding the potential for long-term agricultural growth.

Submitted by Alane dos Santos Viana (alane.viana@ucsal.br) on 2016-09-14T18:26:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Felix-UCSAL2013.pdf: 1405753 bytes, checksum: a5d80bd96564260936bc4448a7c29884 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Emília Carvalho Ribeiro (maria.ribeiro@ucsal.br) on 2016-09-16T21:21:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Felix-UCSAL2013.pdf: 1405753 bytes, checksum: a5d80bd96564260936bc4448a7c29884 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-16T21:21:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Felix-UCSAL2013.pdf: 1405753 bytes, checksum: a5d80bd96564260936bc4448a7c29884 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-18 / Discute-se, essencialmente, aspectos referentes à crise agrícola, que se abateu sobre o território do Recôncavo da Baía de Todos os Santos, na primeira década do século XX. Para isto, privilegia-se a análise das relações sociais e econômicas da região e, discute-se o papel do Estado nessas relações. Entende-se o Estado como sendo a instância política e ideológica, ao mesmo tempo em que era o principal agente indutor das demandas do capital no território naquele momento. Entre o final do século XIX e o inicio do século XX, o Recôncavo da Baia de Todos os Santos foi marcado por um conjunto de transformações sociais, políticas e econômicas que afetaram, direta ou indiretamente, todo o conjunto das relações sociais, de produção e consumo, desse amplo espaço do território baiano. Resultou disso, como em outras partes do Brasil, uma conjuntura de crise na economia, que afetou a agricultura e que perdurou por toda primeira década do século XX, especialmente, durante o governo de José Marcelino de Souza, governador da Bahia no período de 1904 a 1908. Constatou-se que a noção de “crise agrícola” se aplicava, especialmente, aos setores envolvidos com a produção e exportação do açúcar. No caso específico de São Felipe, situado ao Sul desse mesmo Recôncavo, verificou-se uma estrutura econômica centrada em três produtos básicos: mandioca, café e cana. E a existência de trabalhadores na condição socioeconômica de agregado ou rendeiro. Notou-se que a produção, distribuição e consumo, se destinavam ao mercado local, abastecimento da cidade do Salvador e do Sertão. A partir de inventários, testamentos e partilhas de bens, fez-se um levantamento dos níveis sociais e econômicos dos habitantes de São Felipe, evidências de que a essa região de São Felipe, por possuir uma característica de economia de subsistência, a noção de crise agrícola não se aplica integralmente por ter cultura exclusivamente de subsistência e pequena distribuição ou troca com vilas ou municípios vizinhos. A partir dessas evidências, se propõe novas análises em outros municípios de economia subsistência dentro desse mesmo Recôncavo, no sentido de se entender a extensão da crise agrícola e averiguar a hipótese de que uma estrutura de economia, com essas características, seria menos afetada pelas constantes crises produzidas pela nova sociedade republicana capitalista. / It discusses mainly issues concerning agricultural crisis that befell the hollow tract of land of Bay of All Saints territory, in the first decade of the 20th century. For this, emphasis is placed on analysis of social and economic relations in the region and discusses the State role in these relationships. It is understood the State as political and ideological instance, while that was the main inducing agent of capital demands in the territory at that time. Between the late 19th century and early 20th century, the hollow tract of land of Bay of All Saints was marked by a set of social, political and economic issues that have affected, directly or indirectly, the whole set of social relations, of production and consumption, this broad area of Bahia territory. Resulted addition, a conjuncture of crisis in the agricultural economy, which lasted throughout the first decade of the 20th century. Especially during the Bahia government of José Marcelino de Souza from 1904 to 1908. It was noted that the notion of "agricultural crisis" it’s applied especially to sectors involved in the production and export of sugar. In the specific case of San Felipe, located south of that territory, there was an economic structure centered on three basic products: manioc, coffee and sugar and the predominance of the worker in the socioeconomic status of aggregate or tenant. It was noted that the production, distribution and consumption were destined for the local market, supplying the city of Salvador and the Hinterland. It was noted that the documents examined, especially inventories and friendly shares, do not make references to the agricultural crisis. From this evidence, it is consistent to assert that this region of San Felipe, by possessing a characteristic of family subsistence or economy. And an array of diversified production. For these reasons, the notion of agricultural crisis does not apply fully to this region. From these evidences, proposes further analyses in other areas of the economy within that same family, in order to understand the extent of the agricultural crisis. And investigate the hypothesis that family structure and diversified economy would be less affected by the ongoing crisis produced within relations of new republican society

Cette étude est à replacer dans le débat sur le retard de l’agriculture française à la veille de la première guerre mondiale, et dans la façon d’aborder cette analyse, entre la macro et la micro-histoire. L’économie du blé au XIXe siècle est une des portes d’entrée de l’analyse. Le blé, culture alimentaire de première nécessité, couvrait la plus grande partie des terres labourables, alimentait des très nombreux moulins, donnait naissance à un trafic de grande envergure tant national qu’international, et se retrouvait, sous forme de pain, dans l’alimentation de tous les foyers. L’impact de cette céréale était si important, que la priorité de tous les gouvernements, était de nourrir en priorité le peuple de cette denrée pour assurer la paix sociale. Ainsi donc, d’un aspect agricole, on passait d’emblée à un aspect politique et social de l’étude. La façon dont le blé était collecté, emmagasiné, distribué, déterminait un marché, plus ou moins ouvert selon que les récoltes s’avéraient suffisantes, ou insuffisantes. L’étude ouvrait donc sur la politique commerciale de la France. Les revenus des producteurs de blé étaient fonction de leur place dans le marché, leurs gains dépendaient de l’élasticité du marché, de la loi de l’offre et de la demande, et des exigences des donneurs d’ordre. L’aspect économique de la question prenait tout son sens. Enfin, la quantité de blé récolté et livré était fonction de la taille de l’exploitation, de l’agencement des terres, de leur qualité et de l’habilité du paysan à optimiser les rendements. L’aspect purement agraire et technique de la production s’avéraient être un préalable à la réflexion. Autant de sujets de réflexion encore d’actualité. / This study is part of the debate about The French agriculture backwardness before the First World War, and in the way to situate this analysis between macro and micro history. Wheat economy in the XIXth century is one of the introductions to this analysis. Wheat, being the essential food producing farming, was grown on most of the cultivated lands. It supplied a lot of granaries, gave birth to a tremendous national and international trade and was essentially dedicated to the making of bread for families. The impact of that cereal was so important that the governments’ priority was to feed the population to maintain social peace. Consequently the agricultural subject of our analysis implied to consider the political and social aspect of it. The way wheat was collected, stored, distributed and finally delivered, implied a market, more or less opened, depending on plentiful or insufficient harvests. The study opened on the French external commercial policy. The incomes of wheat producers depended on their situation on the market, their incomes depended on the fluctuations of the market, offer and supply and the demands of the principals. The economical aspect was quite meaningful. Finally, the quantity of wheat sales depended on the sizes of farms, their situation, their quality and the ability of peasants to increase the yields. The mere agricultural and technical aspect of production could not be avoided and turned out to be prior to our reflection. That sort of questioning is quite valid in the present day world.